| $1600 for barber's chair in NH primary hotel sale Decades of history and hospitality have been sold at auction in the latest step toward restoring the nearly 150-year-old Balsams Grand Resort Hotel, recognised for hosting the earliest voting in the state's first-in-the-nation presidential primary. "We're obviously pleased with the turnout, and the bidding has been robust," he said. Some of the quirkier items included chairs from the resort's ski lift, an antique fire pump truck and an old barber's chair, which sold for $1,600. The Balsams, located in remote northern New Hampshire, is one of four hotels that remain from the state's grand hotel era, which ended around the turn of the 20th century. The auctioneer was even able to sell a biomass plant in its entirety. He completed a major renovation in 1918, doubling the resort's capacity to 400 guests. Balsams View LLC, led by two local businessmen, plans to re-open the hotel in July 2013 after extensive renovations, though a recent snag involving approval for subdividing the land has temporarily stalled the project. For decades, the hotel has been recognised for its role in the presidential primary. The hotel got its start as a small inn, the Dix House, which opened just after the Civil War. Bidding was particularly brisk for the vintage barber's chair, with two people bidding back and forth before it sold. It closed in September. More than 2,500 people, most of them registered bidders, showed up for the auction, said Scott Tranchemontagne, spokesman for Balsams View LLC, which bought the hotel in December. Tranchemontagne said all the items up for bid had been sold in the auction that lasted nearly 12 hours. Auction officials said they expected total sales to add up to between $200,000 and $250,000. |
Sunday 13 May 2012
$1600 for barber's chair in NH primary hotel sale
